Just How Far a Brother Will Go
by morningdawn202
Summary: When Ponyboy suddenly goes missing, Darry and Soda must race against time to save him while dealing with their own guilt and grief. Meanwhile, Pony's captors are planning an all out war between Socs and Greasers.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, all, this is a story I've wanted to do for quite a while now which explores just how far a brother is willing to go. Enjoy!**

May 1, 1967 5:45 pm

Ponyboy threw his backpack over one shoulder with a grunt and started out of the locker room calling goodbye to several of his track friends on his way out. Making his way through the various hallways of his high school, Ponyboy heaved a huge sigh of relief when he finally walked out of the front door and walked out into the sun.

It was a beautiful day with a big blue sky and large fluffy clouds. Things had been going pretty good for Ponyboy Curtis lately and he couldn't help smiling at the thought.

After Johnny and Dally had died Pony had really gotten messed up for a while but as time passed Ponyboy slowly began to realize that it was far better to live for the living rather than the dead. He had Darry and Soda and that really was more than enough. Besides, he had promised Johnny to stay gold and it was a promise that he became determined to keep.

More than that, the Socs had apparently decided that the price for their age old war with the Greasers was getting a bit too high to deal with. As a result the violence between the two groups was gradually diminishing.

Of course, there would always be animosity between the Socs and Greasers, which was just a natural part of their messed up world. The chasm between the two groups was too large to be fully ignored but the shootings and beating at least seemed to be put to a standstill.

And Ponyboy also knew that his relationship with his two older brothers, particularly Darry, would never be perfect but they were certainly finding more common ground. Well, at least most of the time.

Ponyboy frowned, his mood darkening. The night before he had gotten into a fight with one of his brothers and things were still not exactly resolved between the two of them. But the huge surprise to this particular situation was that it wasn't Darry who Pony had been fighting with but Soda.

Soda was eighteen now and Pony had been trying to convince his brother to try and take some courses at the college. Money was getting better after Darry had completed a six month management course and had started moving up in the ranks of the roofing business.

Sodapop had been skirting around the subject for weeks and when Pony had finally cornered him, Soda had blown up in his brother's face, shouting at him to mind his own business.

Needless to say, this had unnerved Pony greatly because Soda NEVER yelled at his beloved baby brother. It must have been a terribly sore subject for reasons that Pony couldn't understand.

Soda had slept in his own bed that night and they had skirted around each other that morning. Frowning, Ponyboy realized he had probably been a little out of line and would have to apologize. it wasn't great for his pride but Pony knew it was the right thing to do.

With this decided Ponyboy felt even lighter and continued on the walk home. Normally Darry would pick him up after school but he had had a meeting so Ponyboy had to walk home instead, which was fine by him.

Now that muggings were not much of a problem, walking around had become a good way to be alone with your thoughts for a while, one of Pony's favorite things.

Ponyboy first became aware of being followed when he saw the car about a block away driving slowly down the street. That was very strange. Everyone knew driving slowly was a threat and unless people wanted to be seen and seen as a threat, they didn't do it.

Quickening his pace, Pony glanced over his shoulder and then cut into an alleyway. Some instinct took over as Ponyboy pulled his backpack off of his back and threw it away. He was aware of it hitting a wall but kept running.

Coming out on the other side of the alley at a run, Pony began running toward his house. Heart pumping and breathing hard, Pony finally slowed down, looking around him in satisfaction. The strange car was nowhere in sight!

Well, it was clear for about two seconds. The bright red car suddenly pulled out right in front of Ponyboy, screeching to a halt.

Ponyboy cried out in surprise and stepped hurriedly back only to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

The three boys, obviously Socs, who had emerged from the tuff car surrounded him with grim and determined expressions on their faces. Without a single word, the three surrounded Ponyboy as one of them pulled a bag out from behind of his back.

Pony tried to yell but they were too quick. Two of them grabbed his arms and forced him to the ground as the third pulled the bag over his head.

Squirming franticly, Ponyboy tried to get away from his captors but he was too badly outnumbered and they were simply too strong.

All attempts of escape was promptly stopped as Ponyboy felt a flash of burning pain as something hard swung into the side of this head.

The pain quickly turned into numbness and Ponyboy felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. His last thought was that he was sorry he wouldn't be able to apologize to Soda.

May 1, 1967 7:00 pm

Soda braced himself as he reached the front door to his house after a five hour shift at the gas station. He knew Ponyboy would be home from practice by now and he was a bit uneasy to see him.

There was nothing Sodapop hated more than fighting with Pony. He loved his baby brother more than anything in the world and for as long as he could remember he had been fighting to take down anything that hurt Pony and protect him from the entire ugly world.

This time, however, it had been Soda himself who had upset Pony, and over something that now seemed so stupid. But still, how could Soda tell his brilliant younger brother that he simply wasn't cut out for college and what's more, really had no interest in it.

Soda wasn't like his brothers. He was perfectly happy to be working in the gas station; he had no big dreams that he had to chase. The only things he cared about were his two brothers and their gang. College seemed like such a strange idea to Soda but Ponyboy had been so persistent that he had just snapped.

Sodapop had barely gotten any sleep at all the night before. He had gotten up half a dozen times to go talk and apologize to Pony but his pride had been wounded and couldn't seem to do it.

Soda shook himself. Damn pride, he though viciously, this was his baby brother for crying out loud! Fighting with him was the worst thing in the world and he certainly going to drag out the senseless argument any longer.

Opening the door, Soda stepped inside the house and called up the stairs, "Pony! Honey, where are you? We need talk!"

The only response was silence and with a frown Soda made his way into the kitchen to see Darry sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Hey Darry," Soda said, entering the kitchen, "Where's Pony? I need to talk to him."

Darry looked up about his first younger brother and frowned. "Pony's not here," he said, "I thought he was with you."

Soda frowned and sat down next to Darry, pulling his shoes off. "Why did you think that?" he asked. Then with some hope, "Did Pony say something to you?"

"No," Darry answered slowly and Soda could see the beginnings of concern creeping into his brother's eyes. "But I knew you two had a fight yesterday so I just assumed that Pony went to see you at the station to clear the air."

"He didn't come to the gas station," Soda replied, the concern in Darry's eyes coming out in his own voice.

For several moments neither of the brothers said and word and then Darry stood up and walked purposefully to the phone. Picking it up, Darry dialed and number and waited for several seconds. "Hey, Two-Bit?"

May 1, 1967 9:37 pm

Darry hung up the phone with a grunt of exasperation and turned to see Soda pacing the floor, something he had been doing for the last hour. Darry noticed that his brother's face was much whiter than it should have been and sighed. This couldn't be happening, not again.

Walking over to the table Darry sat and gestured for Soda to do the same. Soda glared at his brother and continued pacing. "He could have just gotten held up," Soda said hopefully.

"For over five hours?" demanded Darry.

Soda flinched and turned to face the sink, bracing himself against the counter. "Do you think this is because of last night?" he asked wretchedly.

Standing quickly, Darry walked over to rest his hands on Sodapop's shoulders. "No, it can't be, Pepsi Cola," he answered softly, "Pony felt horrible about your fight. The last thing he would do was worry you. He would have come straight home after practice to apologize to you."

Soda rounded on Darry and snapped with a tear rolling down one cheek, "Then where is he, Darry? Huh? Can you answer that?"

Darry heaved a huge sigh and then stood up and crossed over to his brother. Taking Soda by the shoulder's Darry stared down into his eyes and said, "No, I can't Sodapop, not yet. But I'll be damned if I keep it like that."

Letting go, Darry walked purposefully over to the phone. Picking it up, Darry turned to see Soda had slumped in a chair with his head in his hands.

Closing his own eyes, Darry dialed exactly three numbers and waited only a few seconds before hearing a voice on the line. "Yes, I need to report a missing person," Darry said in a shaky voice.

**May 2, 1967**

** A local teen named Ponyboy Curtis was reported missing to the police at 10 o clock on the night of May 1. Ponyboy, a sixteen junior at Will Rogers High School was last seen leaving school grounds after track practice. His fellow students reported that Ponyboy did not seem nervous or concerned and there been no unusual activity on the school ground that day.**

** The young man in question currently lives with his two older brothers, Darrel and Sodapop Curtis after the death of the parents in an automobile accident some years before. Darrel was the one who first reported his youngest brother missing when he failed to come home for dinner or after that. **

** Ponyboy had been involved in the murder of Bob Sheldon during self defense in Central Park two years earlier. Ponyboy and the guilty charged Johnny Cade, ran away from judgment but subsequently returned a week later after saving several children from a burning church. Johnny Cade later died of injuries sustained during the fire though Ponyboy got away reasonably uninjured.**

** Whether these past events have anything to do with Ponyboy's disappearance is yet to be determined. Police currently have no leads and are waiting to see if any new information comes to light and the simple possibly that Ponyboy ran off and will come back soon in his own time has not been dismissed though the brothers seem convinced that this is not the case. **

** There is no further information this case and the police remain hopeful that it will come to a quick and painless conclusion. **

**xxxx**

**A/N: Review please and tell me what you think of the start! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, here is the second chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted to this story, it means so much. In exchange I can promise that this will not be one of those stories that you get three or four chapters from and then it just stops. I will defiantly finish it up and the more reviews the faster it will go! Ok read on!**

May 2, 1967 6:23 am

The very first thing Ponyboy Curtis was aware of when he opened his eyes was pain and a lot of it. His entire head was throbbing so much that it felt like someone was repeatedly clanging his head with a frying pan. Not exactly the most pleasant way of awaking up in the world.

The second thing Pony was aware of was that he was tied to a chair in a very dark room, probably a basement. The whole thing seemed like the beginning of a really bad mystery novel that Pony had once read. Unfortunately for him, the end of that particular book had not ended very well for the captured boy.

Then again, the boy in that story had been a rich and spoiled Soc with a taste for danger. So maybe Ponyboy would be ok.

Pony tried to strain against his restraints but with no luck, not that he had expected any. Things were never that easy, even in books.

For several more minutes, Pony tried in vain to escape from the chair but he knew that there was no way he could. So finally, giving up, Pony finally looked around to take in his surroundings.

From the small furnace in the room's corner Pony surmised that his first assumption was probably correct: he was in a basement. There were no windows and only a few sealed boxes in one corner. Quite boring in fact. Pony had half expected there to be something a cage or a long operating table. Maybe Darry was right, he really did have too much imagination.

Just then Ponyboy heard footsteps pounding down the stairs beyond the room's only door. From the sound of it, there was more than one person.

Stiffening as the door opened, Pony watched warily as three young Socs walked in. To his intense surprise, Ponyboy realized the recognized them from school! They were all seniors and some of the most popular students in the school. They also happened to be friends of the former Bob Sheldon.

Daniel Walker was the king of the school, son of a wealthy business man and had the looks to fit the image. With blond hair and green eyes that always had a cocky look to them, Ponyboy had always made it a point to avoid him and his many girlfriends.

Daniel's best friend, Kevin Forrest stood next to him with an extremely annoying smirk on his face. Kevin, a dark brown haired and eyed boy was a typical jock without a brain, the kind of guy who probably never had an original thought in his life. The type of boy that Daniel could easily take advantage of.

It was only the third boy who was the only surprise for Ponyboy. James Archer was a Soc but he certainly wasn't in the same group as the other two. In fact, James had always reminded Pony a bit of Johnny, they had the same dark eyes and hair and that same haunted look in their eyes.

James looked extremely nervous and his eyes kept flicking from one boy to the next but never lingering on Pony. The other two did not seem to share their companion's conflicting emotions.

Daniel stopped right in front of Pony's face and stood staring down at him with a wide grin. Pony glared back at him and asked, "Well, do you care to explain yourself, Daniel? Why the hell did you bring me here?"

Daniel's smile stayed on his face as he answered, "Well, Ponyboy, I can give you one guess."

"My guess would be," Ponyboy replied slowly, "it would have something to do with Bob Sheldon."

Kevin let out a horrid snort of laughter and said snottily, "We have a regular genius in the house!"

Both Pony and Daniel ignored him and Daniel said, "Well, yes actually it does have something to do with Bob, but not with you actually."

Pony raised an eyebrow and demanded, "If it has nothing to do with me then why did you kidnap me?"

James flinched at the word but Daniel just smirked. "We have a plan," he said, "and you are part of it. Luckily for you all you have to do is stay here hidden while everybody searchers frantically for you. Quite simple for you indeed."

"Lucky?" cried Pony, his voice breaking, "How is kidnapping me going to help you? The Socs and Greasers are finally getting along better and with this you could ruin that!"

Daniel looked pityingly at Pony and said smoothly, "Yes, that is kind of the point, boy."

With that the golden haired Soc turned and walked out of the basement calling behind him, "Kevin watch him. James come on."

James glanced at Ponyboy and he saw something close to pity in the boy's eyes but he meekly followed after Daniel. Kevin leaned back against the wall and smirked over at his captive.

Pony looked about himself again and sighed. He had no idea how he was going to get out of this one. He only wished he had apologized to Soda that morning.

May 2 4:56pm

Soda glanced at the clock for the tenth time in as many minutes. This would be about the time Pony would have come home from track practice. Soda knew it was silly but he couldn't help jumping at every little sound from outside, desperately hoping that his little brother would walk through the front door but of course he didn't.

Darry and Soda had spent the entire day wandering the town, talking to anyone who would listen, trying to find anyone who had seen Pony but to no avail. Pony's track buddies had reported seeing him leaving the school grounds but not after that. It was as if he had simply disappeared into thin air.

Darry had been in constant contact with the policeman in charge of the case, a Detective Kendall. The police were doing their own work but they hadn't come up with anything useful either.

However, in all fairness, the Curtis brothers were lucky that the police were taking such an interest at all. Most of the time when an orphan Greaser went missing they would have given a halfhearted search and given the case up as a runaway.

Ponyboy's case was different though. Everyone knew his amazing story from the year before and the news that he had disappeared yet again was spreading over the town like wildfire. The police wanted the rap up the case as quickly as possible before more Soc bodies turned up like last time.

Kendall had asked the two brothers if they thought their youngest brother had simply run off, poised over his notebook like that was a perfectly acceptable question. When Soda heard that, it took every ounce of his self control not to haul off and slug the officer. That probably wouldn't have done much good anyway.

Darry had calmly explained that there was no chance that Pony simply ran away but Kendall didn't look like he was convinced.

But Soda knew they was right. After a fight with Soda, Pony would have come straight home to make up; he wasn't the kind to run. However, if they were right, then where was he?

Just then the front door swung open and Soda jumped up only to sink down again as he realized that it was Darry, not Ponyboy in the door.

Darry gave his brother a sad little smile and shook his head. Soda dropped his head into his hands and stayed like that as Darry walked behind him and began to rub his back. "We'll find him Soda," he whispered.

Soda looked up at him with red eyes and replied with conviction, "We have to."

He didn't even want to think what would happen if they didn't.

May 3 7:12 pm

Detective Kendall had his eyes glued to the ground as he searched for any sigh of the missing orphan boy, Ponyboy Curtis. His chief had told him that this case needed to be closed sooner rather than later because they could already tell the dangerous youth of the city were becoming interested in the news that the famous Greaser was missing again.

The last thing the police needed right now was a gang war which was very possible unless they found the missing boy. Ponyboy Curtis, Kendall thought with a small smile, what a name.

Just then something caught Kendall's eye by one of the walls of the alley he was walking. That was the one thing that had made Kendall one the police station's youngest detectives, his unexplained ability to notice things that anyone else would have overlooked.

Walking over to the wall Kendall bent down and picked up the item from the ground. It was a very dirty black backpack that was ripped up on one side. Opening it Kendall reached in and pulled out a book. Looking at it, Kendall realized it was a school science book, most likely high school.

Opening the front cover, Kendall looked at the cover, reading the name and smiled grimly. There plain as day was a list of names of students who had owned the book. However it was only the last name that Kendall cared about: Ponyboy Curtis.

May 3 2:23 am

Soda knew he had to sleep. Lying in his and Pony's bed wide awake wasn't going to help anyone. He needed to get rest for tomorrow when he had to go back to work and look for Pony.

Sodapop knew all this and yet he couldn't seem close his eyes to sleep. It seemed like if he did he would never wake up.

Turning over, Soda clutched the sheets with one hand and stared over at the wall. Why hadn't he been able to stop this? Why hadn't he gone to pick Pony after practice to apologize? He had let his pride get in the way and know his beloved little brother was missing. Was it his entire fault?

It was a long time before Soda finally fell into sleep and when he finally did his sleep was plagued with nightmares. When he woke just a few hours later he realized for the first time what Pony had gone through when he had nightmares that he could never remember.

Standing up to stand by the window, Soda stared out into the darkness and swore that he would find his beloved little brother, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

**Review! All the thoughts and suggestions mean so much! Till next chapter**

**~md202**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

May 3 7:45 am

Darry glared at his brother as Soda tapped the table impatiently. They were sitting in a room at the police station and had been for quite a while. Detective Kendall had called them at 6 am and told them to come in because they had found something.

Darry had barely been able to hold himself together during the last two days and was now sitting in a police room waiting for the officers to get around to finding time to talk to the two desperate brothers. The wait was just about causing him to break and start throwing things.

Soda however had even less control. Standing up abruptly, Sodapop slammed a fist on the table and shouted, "Hey! Detective Kendall! We have been waiting for almost half an hour, just when are you going to get around to telling us what you found?"

Looking at his brother in exasperation, Darry exclaimed, "Sit down Soda, that isn't going to help us. You know how the police like to play with people's minds!"

Sodapop looked at him in similar anger and exclaimed, "But we aren't even the criminals here!"

Kendall chose that moment to walk in. Closing the door he looked at the two upset brothers and wisely decided not to comment. Instead he said simply, "We found your brother's backpack." He always was one who would get straight to the point.

The statement certainly caught the attention of the two young men. Soda slowly sat down, white faced and whispered, "What?"

"Where?" added Darry, suddenly breathless.

"In an alley," replied Kendall, motioning to someone outside the room, "a few blocks away from your house. It looks like he threw it away while running away from something. That probably means you two were correct. Pony most likely didn't run away, he was taken. Who and why we don't know yet."

For a moment the world seemed like it almost stopped spinning for Darry. The word "taken" really got to him. Of course, that was what he had assumed but putting it out into the open was different then silently thinking about it. Talking about it made the whole thing seem so… real.

Soda stood up and began to pace the room. "Isn't there something you can do?" he demanded angrily, "just getting his backpack isn't really going to help!"

Kendall leaned back in his chair and studied the two brothers with serious eyes. Of course he felt sorry for them and he didn't really know what to say to comfort them, but this was his job and he had to do it.

"At this stage all we can really do is keep looking," he said, "If Ponyboy had the time and the insight to throw away his backpack whoever took him was probably an amateur which suggests a youth who he didn't know very well or at all. With all the gang violence, that is the most likely scenario."

Taking a deep breath Kendall noticed that neither the brothers refuted the claim. He continued, "This could actually be a very good thing because the less the captors know about having a hostage they less likely they are to hurt him."

Darry took a shaky breath and said, "If they are Socs I wouldn't count on them not hurting Pony."

There was silence for several moments and then Kendall stood up. "Well, I'm afraid that we can't give you the backpack yet but we thought you should know."

Darry stood and shook hands with the detective. "Thank you for all the work," he said looking straight in the man's eyes, "but this is far from over."

Kendall smiled and said, "We won't give up Darry," he said calmly, "We'll find your brother."

Soda glared over at him and said, "You'd better." With that he turned and stalked out of the room.

Detective Kendall raised an eyebrow at Darry and the latter shrugged.

"He's struggling," Darry said quietly. After a moment of thought he added softly, "We both are. Pony's the only thing we have left. He's the thing that keeps us together. If we lose him…"

Unable to finish the thought Darry shook himself and turned to leave. Kendall watched as he left after his brother and silently promised himself that he would do everything he could to save this broken family.

May 3 5:45pm

Soda sighed with relief as he finally finished washing the last car piece and was finally able to go home. He had been distracted all day after their visit to the police, of course and work had seemed like torture.

He had also noticed Steve watching him all day with a concerned look and was eager to get out of under his watchful eyes. He wasn't really in the mood to talk about Ponyboy or anything else for that matter.

However, that hope was soon drowned. As Soda walked away he felt a hand on his arm stop him. Turning, Soda looking into Steve's set eyes and knew he wasn't getting out of this one.

"I'll drive you home," Steve said and Soda knew better than to argue. He allowed himself to be pulled along and then pushed into Steve's new car.

They were silent for several blocks and then Steve pulled into an alleyway and stopped. Turning to look at his best friend, Steve said, "We need to talk, Soda."

"About what?" asked Soda not looking at Steve.

"About what?" repeated Steve in astonishment, "About your little brother, Soda! About Pony! You've refused to talk about it for the last two days and I can tell its killing you!"

Soda remained silent for another few seconds and then sighed and leaned against the car door. "What's there to talk about?" he asked bitterly, "You know just about everything I do. They found Pony's backpack and think that he was taken by some Soc kids which could be good news if they are inexperienced and a bad thing if they panic. Not much else to the case yet."

Steve glared over at his best friend and replied harshly, "That isn't what I meant and you know it Sodapop Curtis. Your little brother was _kidnapped. _I know he means everything to you. How are you being so calm?"

Soda whirled on Steve in a sudden savage fury and gripped him but the front of his jacket, pulling Steve forward until their faces were just inches apart. "Calm!" Soda snarled, barely recognizing his own voice, "I'm not calm! I am barely holding myself together here, Steve! Pony's gone and I don't where he is or even if I am ever going to see him again! How do I feel? I feel as though I want to punch a wall and break down crying at the same time! I'm losing it here and there is nothing I can do!"

Staying silent for a few moments, Steve watched Soda and his friend's chest heaved up and down and the crazed look in his eyes slowly dimmed down to dull grief. Soda's grip on Steve lessened and he slumped down to rest his head on Steve's chest.

Steve stroked Soda's tuff gold-red hair and said softly, "It isn't your fault, Soda. You couldn't have known."

"I should have," Soda replied voice muffled by Steve's shirt, "there must have been something I could have done, Steve. Anything. The last things I said to him were horrible. What if those are the last things I ever say to him?"

"They won't be," Steve replied with conviction, "We'll find him, even if the police don't. If it really was Socs kids then we'll find them. Pony is going to be ok, Soda."

Soda looked up at Steve with glassy eyes and said in a hard tone, "He'd better be, Steve. I don't know how to live without him."

The two boys were quiet for several minutes, thinking about this last statement. Steve had known for a long time that he alone wasn't enough to keep the tragic Soda going. Neither was Darry or even the both of them together. Only Ponyboy had the ability to keep Soda waking up each day.

The only reason that Soda was still going now was the hope that Ponyboy would come home ok but Steve wasn't sure how far that hope would stretch.

"You can't give up yet, Soda," he said softly, "Not until he know for sure. You can't give up until we know that Pony isn't coming home. When you know that then you can go. Then you can run but not before. He still needs you, Soda."

A single tear escaped Soda's eyes as Steve turned the car on again and began to drive slowly back towards his home.

It was only when Steve pulled into Soda's driveway when he finally spoke again. "Steve…" he started and then stopped. Steve looked expectantly over at his friend and Soda continued, "Whoever did this, whoever took Pony, they are going to pay."

"I know Soda," Steve replied calmly.

Soda's head swung in Steve's direction and the rough Greaser saw something in Soda's eyes that only came in when someone threatened some he loved: hatred. "_We_ are going to make them pay. _I_ am going to make them pay. They are going to wish they never set eyes on Pony and certainly not on me."

"I know."

**There's Chapter 3! Hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please REVIEW! Only reviews will allow you to find out what happens to Pony and the gang so you know what to do!**

**~md202**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

May 4 9:23 am

Ponyboy sighed as he felt the coming of an itch on top of his nose. The worst thing about being tied up was the inability to scratch an itch. At least his captors had loosened his bonds when he had begun to lose feeling in his hands.

For the last two and a half days Pony had sat in this chair in the basement with at least one of his captors usually with him as the other two went about their business. They would let him out only to go to the bathroom in a small toilet in the room's corner which Pony had not noticed he had first arrived.

Ponyboy had taken a swing at Daniel when they had first let him up and had actually landed a good one before Kevin had tackled him to the ground which had resulted in Pony hitting his head. From the throbbing, Pony suspected that he might have a concussion which could become very bad if he didn't see a doctor soon.

Daniel had yelled at Kevin about the instance because they apparently wanted Pony in one piece, which was a very good thing for him even if they weren't doing a great job at it. All in all Ponyboy knew he was getting off lucky. Though the three Socs still had not let him in on their master plan, for a captive he was really being treated alright. They could be making his life a living hell if they wanted to.

That didn't mean he wasn't worried though. Pony had no idea how this was going to end and he couldn't even begin to imagine what Darry and Soda must be going through. He hoped that they, especially Soda, didn't think he had just run off.

Just then the door opened and James walked in. As always, he looked a bit nervous.

Pony had learned early on that James had some serious mixed feelings about what he and his buddies were doing to Pony. He was carrying a wet rag which he brought over to Pony and put it on the lump that was forming on Pony's head curtsey of Kevin.

"Thanks," said Ponyboy, a bit sarcastically. James glanced at him but quickly dropped his eyes, a habit of his. How much James was like Johnny, Pony thought dryly, except that Johnny would never have done what James was.

"Why are you doing this?" Pony asked softly, "What do you hope to achieve by kidnapping me?"

"Daniel and Kevin have a plan," James answered in a mutter. Then he seemed to realize what he had just said and his head shot up. "It's a very good plan!" he told Pony nervously, "things haven't been right since Bob died. This is going to set things straight."

"So some peace between the Socs and Greasers is a bad thing?" Pony asked in astonishment. How could everyone really think that? These last few months had been absolutely amazing. Not having to look over his shoulder every second had been like Heaven.

James once again lowered his eyes and muttered, "You're a Greaser so you couldn't possibly understand. Things for us Socs… there're getting worse. You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," Ponyboy pleaded. He was desperate to understand why this was happening to him. If he knew the reason then maybe he could convince them to let him go and he could get back to Darry and Soda. He missed them more than he could possibly put into words.

James hesitated and for a moment Pony was sure he was going to tell him. Then James turned away and hurried to the stairs. "You just wouldn't understand," he called back over his shoulder and then was gone.

Pony sighed. It looked like he was going to be here a while yet.

May 4 10:00 am

Two-Bit glanced across the room at Steve who was leaning against the wall with a leering scowl. Heaving a large sigh, Two-Bit leaned back in his chair to stare at the ceiling of the room in the police station the two young men were currently sitting in. This was a delicate situation Two-Bit knew (he had been in this kind of place before) and things were not starting off well.

Steve was seething, that was perfectly clear. Two policemen had come to their school and the office had called the two boys down. As soon as Steve saw the policemen his face had become a thundercloud and he hadn't said a word on the way over or in the fifteen minutes they had been sitting this plain white room.

Two-Bit knew what was bothering his friend without him having to be told so he didn't pester the angry young man.

Steve had never been crazy about Soda's kid brother but Two-Bit knew something that many didn't; Steve actually cared very deeply for Pony for the simple reason that Soda loved Ponyboy more than anything else in the world, even Steve himself.

This information sometimes pained Steve but the fact remained that Soda meant more to Steve than anyone else so if Soda loved Pony then so did Steve, in a way.

Now Pony had been gone for almost three days and the police had not been very helpful. Steve was furious that this whole situation was causing Soda so much pain and he was directing his anger onto the police who he felt should be helping more than they had though Two-Bit wasn't sure that there was much more the police could do then they already were.

Two-Bit was given no more time to dwell on these facts because the door opened and a man walked in. He was in his mid thirties with short dark hair and piercing green eyes. Just like Pony's, Two-Bit thought, that color that the kid hates.

"Good morning boys," the man said smoothly, "My name is Detective Kendall and I am in charge of Ponyboy's case. I just have a few questions that I would like to ask you."

Glancing at Steve, Kendall gestured to the empty seat next to Two-Bit and asked, "Why don't you sit down?"

Steve glared at the detective for several tense moments before reluctantly sitting down.

"Great," Kendall said with a smile, "Let's get started then. So Keith Mathews and Steve Randle, am I correct?

"I go by Two-Bit," Two-Bit said coldly; he didn't really like policemen either.

Kendall smile at him and replied, "Ok, Two-Bit. Now how would you two say your relationship with Ponyboy is?"

Two-Bit glanced at Steve but his friend still seemed unwilling to talk so Two-Bit answered. "We are friends of course," he said, "Practically family."

Kendall raised an eyebrow and said softly, "You mean like a gang?"

The young man bristled but replied coolly, "I guess you could say that we really think of ourselves as more of a family than a gang.

The detective nodded and then asked, "Did either of you see Pony at school on May 1st?"

"I did," Two-Bit answered, "At lunch but not after that."

Kendall turned to Steve for an answer but the boy simply shook his head. Pursing his lips in thought, Kendall asked, "Steve, you are close to Sodapop, Pony's older brother, am I correct?"

A vein in Steve's forehead bulged and he nodded stiffly.

Kendall nodded and then shuffled the paper around on the desk in silence. Finally when Two-Bit couldn't stand it any longer he exploded, "Detective Kendall just why are we in here? Don't you have better things to do, like looking for Pony for example?"

The detective looked up at them and sighed. "I'm sorry boys. I have all my men out looking but we are having a hard time getting any concrete leads so I am afraid I am going to have ask you two some difficult questions."

"Like what?" Two-Bit asked with no small amount of suspicion, afraid he may already know the answer.

Kendall sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Like whether or not you two might have had something to do with Pony's disappearance," he said flatly.

Two-Bit just stared at the policeman for several seconds before he leaped to his feet so fast that his chair fell down with a crash. "Are you serious?" he demanded, voice cracking with emotion, "Didn't you just hear what I said? We are like family! That kid is like my own little brother! Why on earth would I do something like this?"

"Does it look like this is my first day on the job?" asked Kendall, not even blinking an eye at Two-Bit's outburst, "I know how gangs work. Hell, I was in a gang for a long time! Jealousy and rivalry plague them and often when one goes missing it is the work of someone close to them or a rival gang so I have to question everyone!"

"Well you don't have to question us," Two-Bit said hotly, "We had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Kendall turned away from Two-Bit as if he hadn't spoken and looked intently at Steve. "Perhaps," he said, "But I have heard that you and Pony didn't get along very well. Am I right?"

When Steve didn't answer Kendall pressed harder. "Did you have anything to do with Pony's disappearance, Steve Randle?" he demanded.

Still, Steve refused to answer, simply staring at the detective with a dangerous look in his eyes.

Unnerved for the first time in a very long time Kendall slammed a hand down on the table and shouted, "Don't you have anything to say to this, Steve Randle?"

Steve stood slowly and not taking his eyes from Kendall's, picked up the table and threw it against the wall. Kendall winced as the wood splintered against the hard wall and then fought back a flinch as Steve was suddenly in his face.

Speaking for the first time, Steve snarled, eyes flaming, "Yeah, I have something to say to you. You are a fuckin idiot if you think I would lay a finger on that kid. He means everything in the world to Darry, not to mention Soda. Do you have any idea what those two are going through right now? How _dare_ you even suggest that we had something to do with it? You obviously only know about Soc gangs and you know absolutely _nothing_ about our gang. So why don't you go out and find _who took Pony_!"

With that, Steve swung around and stalked from the room. Kendall straightened his coat and then looked over at Two-Bit.

The Greaser stood and stretched. Looking over at the detective he shrugged. "Lesson one with Greaser gangs," he told the man seriously, "is never, ever target and take one of the members. Especially the baby."

With nothing left to say, Two-Bit followed his friend out of the room.

Kendall stood and collected his papers. He was now sure that the two boys had nothing to do with the crime but that out him back to where he had started.

Looking down at his watch, Kendall frowned. Every second made the chances of bringing Ponyboy back less likely. Standing, Kendall followed the two boys out the door.

**May 5, 1967**

** It has now been three days since Ponyboy Curtis, 16, disappeared on his way home from track practice on May 1****st****. Ponyboy's backpack was found in an alleyway close to his home and the police now suspect with some certainly that his disappearance is gang related. **

** Detective Kendall who is in charge of the case told our reporters, "Ponyboy is well known by rival gangs because of past occurrences and the possibly of them taking revenge is very real."**

** Kendall assures the public that the police are doing all they can to quickly find the boy and the probability of more violence towards other teens in small. "We believe Ponyboy was targeted specially," he said, "So there is likely no danger to anyone else."**

** No more information has surfaced regarding this case and Ponyboy's two brothers, Darrel and Sodapop Curtis, have so far refused to comment.**

**xxx**

**A/N: Here's Chapter 4! Please Review Everyone!**

**~md202**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

May 5 8:23 am

Ponyboy grinned as finally his wrists slipped through the loosening bonds. It had now been three days he had been in the basement and he had decided it was high time to get out there. However, to Pony's intense surprise, the three boys had actually been pretty civil to him, other than tying him to the chair.

Pony had been fed, given water and was allowed to sleep on a mat on the floor with one of the boys constantly on watch. In the last day or so Pony had noticed that his bonds were being put on looser and looser. His captives were getting sloppy.

For the last two hours, Pony had been working on getting his hands free from the rope and he had finally succeeded. Dropping the rope behind him, Ponyboy sat with his hands still behind his back and waited.

Kevin, who had the first watch that day was dozing in the corner and saw nothing. All Ponyboy had to do was wait until it was James's turn to stand guard. He knew that would be his only chance of getting away. Kevin was too big and Daniel was too smart so the weak willed James was his best bet.

Two hours later the door to the basement opened and James walked down the stairs. "I'm here," he told Kevin nervously.

"So I see," Kevin drawled standing and walking up the stairs with his hands in his pockets, without a glance at Ponyboy. Once he was gone James sat in the empty chair and looked over at the captive boy.

Raising his eyebrows, Pony asked, "So are you guys going to let me go soon?"

To his surprise, James nodded eagerly. "Oh yes," he exclaimed, "Our plan is working. Daniel should be letting you go soon, as soon as you have completely served your purpose."

"And what purpose would that be?" Pony asked with suspicion. He still had absolutely no idea how his being locked up in a basement was going to benefit anyone, let alone the Socs.

Turning to Pony in all seriousness, James answered with conviction, "After the fighting with the Greasers died down, the Socs have begun to fight among themselves. It had been a disaster! If the Socs don't start fighting the Greasers again then we will wipe ourselves out! Now do you see? You are already involved in both groups and have a powerful gang so you where the perfect one to take!"

Ponyboy's head reeled with this news and he looked at James in horror. "Why on earth can't you just get along with each other?" he asked heatedly.

"Because we aren't Greasers," James answered, as if this was obvious.

Pony sighed and then said, "Come here a moment James, will you?"

James started and asked nervously, "Why?"

Sighing and trying to hide a smile, Ponyboy replied, "I just want to look at your eyes. What's the problem? I'm tied up, remember?"

Slowly James got up and walked across to stand a few feet in front of his captive. Pony studied him for several moments before heaving a large sigh.

"What?" asked James, unnerved.

"Oh, nothing," Ponyboy replied, a wide grin splitting across his face, "I just expected your eyes to be green is all."

Ponyboy used all his experience as a Greaser as he leapt to his feet and delivered a strong right hook right into James's face.

James cried out as he fell back to the hard ground, hand already rising to cover the blood streaming down his pale face.

By the time James had hit the ground Pony was already running. Exhilaration pumped through his blood and pushed down his feelings of guilt over injuring James who he had come to realize was every bit a victim in this whole thing as he was.

As Pony reached the top of the stairs he saw a door directly ahead of him. Just as he was about to reach it, the dark wooden door swung open right in front of his face! With a cry of shock Pony stepped back, stumbling and saw Kevin staring at him with wide eyes.

Unfortunately for Pony the other's boy's surprise was shorted than his own and the Greaser barely had time to register the punch spinning towards him and then he was falling into the blackness yet again.

May 5 9:45 am

Soda cursed violently as the glass slipped from his fingers and shattered against the counter. Blood began to well up on his finger where a piece of the glass had cut it.

Sitting down at the table, Soda inspected his finger to find with relief that it wasn't too deep. That was good. The last thing he needed right now was stitches.

Darry ran into the room and exclaimed, "Soda, what was that? What happened?"

Soda waved away his brother's concern and answered sourly, "Oh, it's nothing, Darry. I just dropped a glass is all."

Darry looked at his brother who was examining his bleeding finger with a far off look in his eyes and said with a sigh, "You know this isn't going to help him, Sodapop."

"What's not going to help who?" asked Soda, not sounding very interested.

"Pony," Darry answered softly, watching his younger brother closely.

That certainly got Soda's attention. "What in the world are you talking about?" he asked, trace amounts of anger entering his voice.

"That!" exclaimed Darry in exasperation. "All of your anger. You're taking this out on everything and everyone and that isn't helping our baby brother in the least."

Soda was about to start shouting at his infuriating brother when he realized that that would just prove Darry correct.

They stared at each other until Soda finally broke eye contact and got up to rummage in the draw for a bandage. "I know," he admitted, "but I just feel so _useless._ I know the police are doing all they can but that doesn't seem like enough either."

Turning around to look at his brother Soda asked, "How do you do it Darry? You've stayed so calm through all this while I've been a total wreak."

For a few moments Darry was silent but then he began to laugh softly.

"What?" demanded Soda, irked.

"Oh Soda," Darry said staring out the window, "If I let myself crack, even a little then I would totally break. There is no in-between for me."

Nodding slowly, Soda remembered back to when they had found Pony in the hospital after the fire. Darry had broken down and it was only then that Soda had realized that was the first time Darry had cried all week. Soda himself had sobbed little a baby every single evening.

"I wish I could be as strong as you," Soda said quietly, "It's just that… he could be alone out there, Darry. _Scared. Hurt. _And there is _nothing_ I can do to help him!"

Darry stood up and went over to sling an arm of Soda's shoulder. "You can stay strong for him, Pepsi-Cola," he said with heat, "For right now that is all we can do."

May 5 5:23 pm

Soda waved with false cheer as the girls left the gas station giggling amongst themselves. Sighing, Soda turned back to his work. Girls like that were always hanging around and to be truthful, Soda had always enjoyed their company before but now they were simply another nuisance. Everything seemed to be losing its color to him lately.

Steve watched his friend from over the hood of the car he was washing with a frown. Soda was being even quieter than usual today. Steve knew, with more than just a touch of desperation that if Pony wasn't found soon then he was going to lose his best friend in the world as well.

When Soda finally spoke, Steve nearly jumped. "So," Sodapop said conversationally, "What did the police want this morning?"

"You know about that?" asked Steve, avoiding the question.

"Two-Bit told us," Soda replied, seemingly engrossed with his own car.

I am going to kill him; Steve thought and then replied with false cheer, "Oh, they just had a couple of questions is all."

"That's not what Two-Bit said," Soda replied, looking at Steve for the first time.

Grinding his teeth, Steve asked coldly, "What actually did Two-Bit tell you?"

"Don't worry, you don't have to kill him," Soda said and Steve winced, "He didn't actually tell me anything. I just said that because I knew that it would make you tell me if something really did happen."

Steve silently seethed until Soda put down his cloth and leaned against the car. "What happened, Steve?" he asked in a voice that sounded a hundred years old.

Steve stubbornly stayed silent for several more seconds but after glancing at Soda and realizing his best friend was not going to let the subject drop, Steve sighed and replied, "They asked me if I had anything to do with Ponyboy's disappearance because… you know. We don't always get along."

To Steve's surprise, Soda didn't look shocked or angry at the news. He simply nodded and turned back to washing to car. "What did you say?" he asked.

"What do you think I said?" demanded Steve hotly, "Just because the kid and I don't always get along perfectly doesn't mean I don't care about him. Or you for that matter."

Soda smiled sadly and after several more minutes of silence said, "Thanks, Steve."

Smiling back grimly, Steve replied, "I've got your back, Soda. We're going to find him."

May 5 6:12 pm

Darry walked slowly through the length of the alley, looking intently at each and every brick. This was where his baby brother had been taken from him by a bunch of dirty Socs.

Darry, more in tune with the rest of the world than his brothers, had begun to notice something in the town that the rest of his gang seemed oblivious to. Word had spread of Pony's disappearance and the tension that had died down between the Socs and Greasers was starting to grow again.

He could feel the stare of the Socs on his back everywhere he went and just that afternoon a large fight had broken out in a bar. This was very bad. Peace was very hard to keep and the balance was slipping.

Ponyboy needed to be found and not just because he was Darry's little brother but because if he wasn't there might be a full out war on the streets, one like no one had ever seen before.

Reaching the end of the alley, Darry looked out across the streets that he now faced. Somewhere out there was where Pony had been taken, only a few blocks away from their house. Could there have been anything he could have done to save his baby brother and stop this from ever happening?

Shaking his head angrily, Darry began to run home. Thoughts like weren't going to help anyone, least of all Pony.

Reaching his car, Darry opened the door and swung in. Turning the key, Darry backed out into the street and began to drive around the town looking everywhere for any sigh, the routine that he had fallen into and done every night since his little brother had been stolen from him.

xxx

**A/N: Don't mess with the Curtis family! Thanks to everyone who had been reviewing, it means much. For you who haven't, please consider starting and for you who have please continue! **

**~md202**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

May 6 3:34 am

Darry stared at the wall of his bedroom, eyelids heavy but unable to stay shut. He had been rolling over and over in his bed for the last four hours, sleep avoiding him at every possible turn.

Five days. It would be five days since Ponyboy had disappeared when the sun rose again and they seemed no closer to finding him then they were those five days ago.

The police had begun to knock down doors of abandoned buildings and questioning just about every student at Pony's high school, to no avail. Darry's beloved little brother had seemingly simply disappeared into thin air.

Even though he knew what it was really starting to look like, Darry held fast to his firm belief that Ponyboy had not ran away. His belief had been strengthened even more when Soda had come home from work that evening.

He had been late again, driving around town with Steve in hope of any sign of his baby bro. When Sodapop had finally stumbled through the door at nine o' clock he had looked like a zombie come back to life with dark circles under his dull eyes. Darry had wondered if he appeared any better. There was no way Pony would leave them knowing how much his older brothers would worry.

Turning over, Darry clutched one of his pillows firmly in his hand. How could he be so _useless? _His mother and father where dead and now it was his responsibility to take care of his two younger brothers and yet tragedy seemed to befall them all the time!

Before he was even aware of it Darry felt something warm and wet slide down his cheek. Reaching up to trap it with a finger Darry lifted it to his eyes to look at the tear with some surprise.

How long had it been since he had cried so much in so little time? Remembering back, Darry knew that although he had watched his brothers cry at their parent's funeral, he somehow had been unable to. Just how much did Pony really mean to him?

Darry knew that if he lost Pony then he was going to lose Soda as well. Was he going to lose himself as well?

May 6 3:12 pm

Soda stared up at the sky as he walked down the narrow road to work. He knew that he should probably be worrying about the Socs jumping him but for some odd reason that didn't seem to matter anymore. Maybe he could be kidnapped too and be taken to where Pony was.

The simple state of not knowing where his brother was what was really killing him. He could be out of the city or even the state by now and Soda had absolutely no idea!

Soda cursed as his foot hit a building corner that stuck out into the street and looked down for the first time in a while. After rubbing his foot for a moment Soda glanced up and saw three Soc boy making their way down the street.

Straightening slowly, Soda glared at the three boys to make sure they didn't try anything funny, although a part of him almost wished they would. Today he felt like he could take on anyone so they had better watch themselves. He would totally welcome a fight right now.

He vaguely recognized them from his old high school but couldn't remember their names. One was a handsome blond with striking green eyes who walked slightly in front of his two companions.

The other two boys had dark hair and eyes and walked behind the blond boy. All them looked hardened and out for blood.

With some surprise Soda watched as the three boys walked toward him without showing much interest in him. Either they were very good at hiding their intentions or they had no interest in harassing him, a good choice on their part.

As the Socs came parallel to Soda the blonde's eyes slide lazily over and locked onto Soda's. There was something strange in the boy's eyes. They widened and then narrowed instantly. There was an odd emotion in his eyes. Was it amusement? Or more like smugness?

Soda didn't have long to dwell on it because their eyes had connected only for a split second and the boys were already moving away. Soda stopped and watched them continue down the street with a sense of great unease.

When they were several yards away, one of the dark haired boys turned. As Soda got a good look at the boys face he was startled at how much the young Soc reminded him of Johnny.

Unlike the cocky blond, this boy had a different emotion in his eyes. It almost looked like… guilt?

Just then the boys turned a corner and were lost from sight. Soda stayed standing where he was for several more moments until turning, he started to walk again.

There was defiantly something strange about those boys. Soda wandered if he should say something to Detective Kendall. Still thinking about this Soda continued on his way down the street, completely oblivious that the very same people who had been causing him so much grief and worry were just a few steps and that he had even looked straight into their eyes.

May 6 3:30 pm

Detective Kendall felt as though he had lead weights attached to his eyelids. Never before had he put in so many hours on a single case but Kendall was becoming increasingly aware that it was worth it.

The tensions in the streets were becoming practically tangible. The Greasers had begun to organize themselves into search parties to find Pony, which was strange in its self but had been hampered by the Socs who had come around looking for a good brawl.

There had already been knife fights and Kendall was positive that it this kept for much longer than it was going to evolve into some major gun battles which meant the police would have to deal with a lot of bodies.

Kendall wondered if Pony had any idea who much his disappearance was effecting the city. Not that it was the poor boy's fault, of course, but it was still an extremely unfortunate situation all around.

Just then there was a knock on the door and one of Kendall's subordinates stuck his head in. "Excuse me sir," he said formally, "the next kid is here to talk to you."

"Soc or Greaser?" Kendall asked with a sigh. The terms had become very familiar in the police station over the last few days.

"Soc," answered the other man and Kendall waved at him to let the rich boy in.

A second later a boy, perhaps a year or two older than Ponyboy, walked in. The boy seemed to radiate wealth with his slick clothes, bright blond hair, and green eyes.

Grinning, the boy sat in the chair opposite Kendall and reached out a hand. "Daniel Walker," he said smoothly, "How can I be of service?"

"Hi Daniel," Kendall said warily, having a sudden bad feeling, "I just want to ask you a few questions. Don't worry you aren't in any trouble."

Daniel's grin widened and he leaned back in the chair with his hands behind his head, the perfect picture of carelessness. "Ok," he said lazily, "Shot."

One of Kendall's eyebrows rose and he replied softly, "Interesting word choice, Mr. Walker."

Daniel's own eyes narrowed and he sat forward again. "I thought you said I wasn't in any trouble," he complained with narrowing eyes.

"Oh, you aren't," Kendall assured him. At least not yet, he thought dryly.

"Do you know Ponyboy Curtis or any of his brothers?" asked Kendall, watching the boy carefully.

"Sure," Daniel replied breezily, "Pony and Soda both went to my high school. Never really had a conversation with either one though. They are Greasers, you know how it is."

"Yes, I do know how it is," Kendall answered, "And much more so since Pony's disappearance, wouldn't you say?"

There it was the slighted flicker of some real emotion behind those cold, too old eyes. Kendall couldn't place the emotion though it seemed clear that the boy was just keeping himself from saying something. Then it was gone and the shield was back up and the moment was gone.

"Oh, I don't know," Daniel said though Kendall noticed he wouldn't look him in the eyes, "I haven't really noticed."

You would have to be blind not to notice, Kendall thought. Aloud he said, "Did you see Ponyboy on May 1st, the day he vanished?"

Daniel shook his head. "Nope," he said, perhaps with a touch too much certainty.

"And you have no idea why someone would want to harm Pony?" asked Kendall.

Daniel shook his head and Kendall sighed. "Ok, that's all," he said, turning back to his papers, "You are free to go."

Daniel stood and stretched before lazily walking out of the room.

Kendall sat at the desk for a long time thinking. Then he called out, "Smith!"

The man who had let Daniel in poked his head into the room and replied hastily, "Yes?"

"Can you get me a full background check on the last boy who was in here? Daniel Walker?"

As Smith ran to do his boss's bidding Kendall placed his hands on the table and smiled. That Soc was good at hiding his true feelings and intentions, there was no debating that fact. Kendall smiled. Daniel Walker may be good but he was better.

**xxx**

**A/N: There's Chapter 6! Thanks to everyone who is reading and enjoying the story. Sorry to say that real life (school) is getting in the way a little bit the time between updates is going to get slighter longer. Don't worry; soon I will be back to my normal every week is a new update attitude! REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

May 6 5:00 pm

The moment Ponyboy came to it became very obvious that he had been drugged. It was impossible to be a Greaser and not have some experience with drugs, even if was only cigarettes, and Pony knew instantly that he defiantly had the symptoms.

From the way his head was aching, Pony could tell that he had also sustained a head wound but the events that had led to this were all fuzzy.

Thinking hard back to his last memories, Pony realized that he had tried to escape his prison and had struck James in order to do it. The other boy had gone down and Ponyboy had run for the door. He had reached it but it had opened by itself from the outside and there had been someone there. Kevin, most likely, from the size. This person had struck him and Pony had spun into unconsciousness.

And now… he was back in the damn chair. Could this whole situation be any worse? Pony tried to think about the passage of time to figure out how long he had been out but his head hurt too much to do any hard thinking.

The drugs weren't helping his concentration either. He wasn't sure what they had given him but it was certainly doing its job of keeping him in the dark. Pony swore that he somehow managed to get out of this alive he was going to cut back on the smoking.

"Oh, I see you are awake," came a voice from the doorway.

Ponyboy looked up at the boy, squinting in pain and groaned. "Daniel," he said, "how much longer is this going to go on?"

"If you're talking about that nasty headache you must have I would guess a few hours," Daniel answered breezily, "and that is your own fault, you know. If you hadn't knocked James down and tried to escape then Kevin wouldn't have had to hit you and I wouldn't have had to drug you to make sure there wouldn't be any more problems."

"That's not what I mean and you know it!" Ponyboy exploded, "I mean all of this! What is happening that could amount to anything good coming out of this?"

A crazed grin spread over the Soc's face and he exclaimed with something close to glee, "It's already working Ponyboy Curtis! It is working better than even I imagined! You really have no idea the amount of influence you have around here do you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Pony suspiciously. Whatever it was, Pony was sure that he wasn't going to like it.

"All the kids from our high school are getting pulled into the police station," replied Daniel, "Greasers or Socs, it doesn't seem to matter. The fuzz are crawling all over the place looking for you and the Socs and Greasers are starting to fight again. It is all so perfect!"

Pony stared at the other boy in astonishment and said dryly, "I really think you need professional help, Walker."

Daniel scowled and said surprisingly softly, "You don't understand. This needed to be done to help the Socs. I don't care about you or your Greaser friends."

With that Daniel turned and began up the stairs to the door again.

As he was leaving, Pony was struck by a thought and called out, "Wait!"

Daniel turned around with a raised eyebrow and Pony continued, "If all the kids from our school have been hauled in then have you?"

Daniel flashed his white teeth and answered, "Hell yeah, but that detective was so stupid he doesn't suspect a thing. Sorry Ponyboy, but you're on your own."

May 7 12:15 pm

Randy Adderson watched his fellow students as they gathered their lunches and found their friends as he sat down to eat at a table in the room's corner by himself. Randy had a lot of buddies and certainly wasn't the type to sit by himself like a loser but today was different. Today he wanted to see everyone without them seeing him.

It had been six whole days now since Ponyboy Curtis had disappeared without a trace after track practice. Ponyboy held a special interest for Randy ever since last year, after that dreadful drunken night at the park.

Randy held quite a bit of grief and guilt over that night. Grief because he had lost a good friend and guilt because he knew the whole situation had been the Socs' fault but the two Greaser boys had suffered even more than them.

Since then Randy had been keeping an eye on Pony and even developed a strange kind of friendship with him. Randy would drive up to Pony's house once in a while and ask if he wanted to go for a ride. They would go drive in the country for hours, talking about things that they could only tell to each other.

Now Pony was gone and Randy was positive that one of the Socs in their school was responsible. Things between the Soc gangs had been getting worse for a while now but the disappearance of the famed Greaser boy and the police suspecting the Socs had put all their animosity towards the Greasers and not themselves.

This being said, Randy honestly could understand why they had done the kidnapping but just because he understood didn't mean he didn't know it was totally the wrong way to fix such a violent problem.

Hurting the Greasers would not minimize the casualties in the Socs but could very likely maximize them. Randy knew that the kidnappers probably didn't understand that and simply thought that hatred for the Greasers would stop the Socs from destroying themselves.

Randy smiled grimly without humor and thought that this would probably wipe them out sooner. The kidnappers probably also didn't know the depths of anger this had brought out of the Greasers. In just a few days this whole situation would become a full out war and the police would have a lot more on their hands than just one missing boy.

Randy had to find out what was going on not just for Pony, but for everyone.

Turning his attention back to the school cafeteria, Randy thought about all the kids he saw, brushing past ones he knew couldn't do it and concentrating on the ones who could have.

Just then a flash of blond hair caught Randy's attention and he focused on the boy. Daniel Walker, now there was a guy who defiantly could have done this. Daniel had been Bob's golden boy and was known for having an acute hatred for Greasers after Bob's death.

Randy watched as the boy sat at one of the full tables, flanked by his friend Kevin Forrest and began talking intently to several more of his rough friends.

Nodding to himself, Randy's eyes narrowed. Oh yes, it most defiantly could be Daniel behind Pony's abduction. Standing, Randy walked over to the table Daniel was sitting at and sat down himself, turning to talk to one of the other boys.

The police weren't having much luck so Randy decided he might have to do a little investigating himself.

May 7 4:45 pm

Soda rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on what Detective Kendall was saying to him. He hadn't gotten more than four hours of sleep for the last six nights and Soda knew he must look horrible. If this lasted much longer he was going to end up in the hospital too and he hadn't even been in any of the fights that had erupted throughout the city in the last two days.

"Sorry," Sodapop said when he realized that Kendall seemed to be waiting for some kind of answer, "What was the question?"

Kendall sighed but tried to keep his temper in check. However bad his own last few days had been he knew that this youth's had been much worse. So he repeated, "What is the situation on the streets that you have seen lately?"

Snorting, Soda replied, "I think you would know better than me, Detective. Tense is kind of an understatement."

Kendall nodded, he couldn't argue with that.

Leaning forward on the table, Soda pleaded, "Don't you have anything?"

Kendall looked up from his notes and studied the young man. There were dark circles under his eyes and his golden hair was a total mess. Something was eating away at this boy and Kendall wondered if Soda was suffering even more than Pony was.

"We have started following the young Socs home from the school in hopes they show us where he could be," Kendall answered, "If all goes well we will have Pony back in a few days."

Some of the tension was released from Soda's body but he still looked suspicious. "If that is true then why don't you look very pleased?" he asked.

"Because," Kendall answered, rubbing his own eyes, "This isn't going to be resolved by just finding Pony. It has become so much more than that."

May 7 5:05 pm

"You have a lot of standing with the Greasers, don't you?" asked Detective Kendall, "Do you think there is anything you can do?"

Darry stared at the older man blankly. Didn't he understand that the only thing he cared about was finding his littlest brother? Of course Darry understood the situation outside probably more than Soda but he understood it like an outsider, knowing but not really being able to care.

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly, "My head's not really in that right now, and my heart most certainly isn't."

"I understand," Kendall said, "but you must know that this is escalading out of control. Pony's disappearance has tipped the scale of peace and even though we are confident we will find your brother I am not at all sure that will stop the problem."

"Yes, but isn't that your job?" demanded Darry hotly, temper flaring, "My job is protect my family and as you can see I am doing a bloody perfect job at that!"

Kendall nodded and answered, "You are absolutely right. Unfortunately, the fuzz as you call us, seem to have less and less ability to control the streets these days."

Standing, Kendall paced debating whether or not to go on. Finally he turned and said softly, "Your gang may be targeted, Darry, because of what has happened to Pony."

Darry stiffened and then shook his head. "We can take care of ourselves," he said firmly.

"Like Ponyboy did?" asked Kendall, turning back.

Darry glared at the man and stood up as well. "Are we done here, Detective?" he asked coldly.

"Yes." Kendall answered sitting down at the desk and rubbing his head, "Just… be careful Darry. I would hate to have to start looking for you as well. Honestly, I have enough to worry about right now."

**xxx**

**A/N: There's chapter 7! Please review, it will make updates come even faster!**

**~md202**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

May 8 7:07 am

Something very strange was happening to Ponyboy. He was still tied to the chair with a blindfold over his eyes that had been placed there some hours ago and yet he could still incredibly see Soda standing in front of him.

Pony tried to form words to tell how sorry he was for the things he had said to his beloved brother a week ago and how much he had missed him but his lips couldn't seem to make any words.

Soda smiled gently at him and reached out to stroke Pony's head with soft hands. "It's ok, baby," he said quietly with his wonderful sunny smile, "You're going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright now."

Pony tried to answer but he still couldn't speak. Looking beyond Soda, Pony saw in even greater amazement that Darry was leaning against the wall to his right and smiling at his youngest brother.

Pushing of the wall, Darry came to stand next to Soda and reached out to cup Pony's face in one of his large, cool hands. "We're going to take care of you now Pony," he said softly, "We have been so worried about you."

The logical (and fuzzy) part of Pony's brain was telling his that this wasn't real; that it couldn't be, that it was simply part of the drug induced haze he had spiraled into. However, this logical part could not beat the drug's influence.

Hot tears spilled out of Pony's eyes as his brothers gathered around him, consoling him and telling him how much they both loved him.

"I'm sorry about that fight," Soda murmured, stroking Pony's cheek, "It seems so silly now. Maybe we can talk more about college once we get you home."

Happiness flooded into Pony and he nodded enthusiastically. Everything really was going to be alright after all.

From across the room James watched as tears escaped out from under the blindfold that Kevin had tied tightly around Pony's head and frowned.

He been angry at first when Ponyboy had hit him but those emotions had passed almost instantly. He had totally deserved it after all. The only reason James had helped Daniel with this terrible plan was because he had been frightened about all the internal fighting in the Socs and thought maybe this would just make all this go back to being normal, before Bob had died.

And also, of course, because he was terrified of Daniel Walker and all of his large friends.

But watching Ponyboy now as the drugs Daniel had forced down affected him so much that the tough Greaser would cry was almost too much to bear. Over the last week, James had grown to admire Pony very much and to see him brought down so low was hard to see.

Turning away from the prisoner, James looked up towards the door. The situation on the streets was getting out of control as well.

Sighing, James rubbed his eyes roughly. He knew what Daniel had just done this morning was going to make things even worse.

May 8 7:23 pm

Totally oblivious to what was happening to his little brother at the moment, Soda was blearily getting breakfast. He hadn't sleep well that night, of course, and had had another of those dreams that he couldn't seem to remember when he woke up. He couldn't remember them but Soda would bet anything that they had to do with Ponyboy.

Soda looked out the kitchen window and for the thousandth time wished to any god who would listen to let his little brother be ok. He would give anything to see Pony walking up to the porch right now.

Darry entered the room and as Soda turned to him he realized his older brother looked every bit as tired as he did. "You going to work?" asked Soda wearily. He had heard Darry get home really late the night before but wasn't sure if he should suggest the man take a day off or not.

"Of course I am," snapped Darry, "Why wouldn't I?"

Soda looked down at the table and replied dryly, "Just thought some extra sleep might do you some good."

Soda heard Darry heave a huge sigh and sit down next to him. "I'm sorry buddy," he said, "But sleep isn't exactly coming easy these days and just sitting around the house would drive me insane. I need to be doing something, anything."

"I know what you mean," Soda answered, fitting back the tears that had sprung to his eyes. Hell, it seemed that every little thing could make him break down like a baby lately.

Emotional weakness has not a good thing to have when you were a Greaser. Soda knew this and yet ever since Pony had been kidnapped it was as though his entire world had stopped spinning and nothing else seemed to matter. Soda wondered if Darry felt the same way.

Apparently he did. Darry looked up to see his little brother staring up at the ceiling with glassy eyes. "Oh Soda…" he murmured, standing and walking around to stand behind his brother. Placing his hands on Soda's shoulders he rubbed then comfortingly.

Soda took a shuddering breath and dropped his head into his hands. Darry's hands moved against his shoulders for a few quiet moments until Soda finally whispered, "We're falling apart, Darry."

Darry paused for a second before continuing the massage. "I didn't realize just how much we needed Pony until he was gone," he said softly.

"I didn't realize just how much I loved the kid until he was gone," Soda replied bitterly, "Isn't that how these things always work?"

Darry barked out a laugh but didn't have a reply to Soda's words. After several minuetes he moved away and picked up his briefcase. "I need to go, Soda," Darry said quietly, "I'll be back tonight."

"I might not be here when you do," Soda answered. Darry didn't need to ask what he would be doing.

Without another word the oldest Curtis brother moved to the door and opened it. Walking through, Darry turned back to shut the door and stopped in confusion.

There was a plain white envelope tapped to the door, fluttering the slight wind. There were no words printed on it and somehow that made it seem all the more menacing.

Reaching out slowly, Darry pulled the envelope off of the door and opened it with shaking fingers. Somehow he knew what was in it before he even saw the picture.

Stumbling back into his house Darry slammed the door shut and leaned against it, suddenly feeling incredibly weak. He called out in a chocked voice, "Soda. SODA!"

Soda spun into the room with wide eyes and cried, "What? What's wrong, Darry?"

Wordlessly Darry held out the picture and envelope. Soda took them in bewilderment and looked down at them. All color drained from his face and his mouth moved in silent curse words. Finally he managed to get out just one that seemed to sum up the whole situation pretty well. "Basterds!"

The picture was of their beloved little brother. Pony was tied to a chair in a dark room, blindfolded with a trace of blood running down his face. There were no words on the picture but the message was perfectly clear.

Ponyboy Curtis was alive, for now but that could change at any time the kidnappers wanted. They held all the cards but it was the brother's turn to move. One wrong move and Pony would pay the price.

May 8 8:14 am

"So this was just tapped to the front of your door?" asked Kendall, staring down at the picture with narrowed eyes.

"Yes," Darry answered, "I was just leaving for work when I saw it."

Kendall nodded, thinking hard. "Did either of you notice anything strange this morning or last night?" he asked, "Like anyone lurking around the house?"

Darry shook his head. "We would have called if there had been," he replied.

Kendall looked over at Soda but the young Greaser was staring at the wall, refusing to acknowledge him. The picture had changed something in him even more than before, Kendall observed.

The grief and guilt were gone and been replaced by deep and bitter hatred. The picture made everything more tangible, especially the blood.

"He doesn't seem to be seriously hurt," Kendall said, trying to reassure the boys.

Soda snorted and Darry glanced warningly at his brother and then turned back to Kendall. He wasn't about to say something when Soda cut him off. "Why haven't you found my baby brother yet, Detective?" he asked smoothly, eyes sliding away from the white wall to zone in on Kendall.

"Other than the fact that we have no leads and following the kids haven't turned anything up?" asked Kendall, suddenly angry, "This damn turf war between the Greasers and Socs is getting out of control and there simply aren't enough policemen to go around! I'm sorry boys but one lost kid isn't our greatest concern anymore."

Soda was up and out of his seat in a heartbeat. Grabbing the front of Kendall's shirt and was up in his face. "Not your greatest concern?" he repeated in shock, "Don't you get it, Detective? Pony is the key to whole thing! If those Socs had taken any other Greaser than it wouldn't have mattered but Pony has been the center of anything since Sheldon died."

Kendall shoved Soda back and the boy let him but continued to glare at the officer. "Pony is the key," he insisted, "To end this you need to find him!"

"Are you sure you aren't letting your personal feelings cloud your judgment?" asked Kendall dryly, fixing his messed up shirt collar.

"That doesn't make what I just said untrue!" Soda replied simply. He got up and walked out of the room, hands jammed deep into his pockets.

Kendall raised his eyebrows at Darry and said only half joking, "You know I could charge him for assaulting a federal officer."

Darry stood and stretched. "You could but you won't will you? You'd just better find Pony soon before he does something really drastic." With that Darry exited the room, leaving a speechless Kendall alone to contemplate that last statement.

xxx

**There's Chapter 8. Thanks to all my readers R&R!**

**~md202 **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

May 9 7:12 am

Soda and Darry were sitting at their kitchen table, drinking coffee but not saying much to each other. The picture of their beloved little brother strapped to a chair in a dark room had been almost too much for the Curtis boys and both had become plagued by visions of what might be happening to Ponyboy that very moment.

These images continued to torture them relentless no matter what else they tried t think about.

Soda stirred his rapidly cooling coffee listlessly. He had had a horrible dream the night before. He had been walking through an elaborate maze, looking desperately for Pony who he could hear crying from somewhere along the winding paths. His little brother's voice seemed to becoming from every direction at once and no matter where Soda went or how much he called he couldn't find Pony.

After what seemed like eternity, Soda had finally turned a corner and seen Ponyboy only a few yards away tied to that horrible chair. Soda had violently cried out in anger at seeing his brother in such a state and had run forward, determined to save him at any cost.

Inexplicably, the ground underneath Soda had vanished and, screaming, Soda had fallen hands raised trying desperately to reach Pony.

His little brother had watched him fall with tears in his beautiful eyes but hadn't uttered a word. When Soda awoke, it was he who was crying. He had simply lain in his bed for several minutes, silent tears falling down his face and the utter hopelessness seeming to suffocate him.

Soda hadn't said anything about his recurring and ever increasingly upsetting dreams to Darry because he knew the last thing his big brother needed right now was even more stress to deal with. How could be add to Darry's torture?

Soda was pulled out of his revere by a loud knock on the front door. Darry and Soda looked at the door, then at each other and then back at the wood again.

Slowly Darry rose to his feet and crossed to the door. Opening it, Darry expected to see a police officer because he knew the gang never knocked and was shocked to see he was wrong. Standing on his porch was Pony's Soc friend, Randy.

"Randy," Darry said with a cocked eyebrow. The Soc had been one of the boys that had jumped Pony and Johnny on that fateful night and Darry had never really understood the quiet friendship that had grown between the two boys as the months passed. He had never been thrilled with Pony going on drives with Randy but for some reason, he had always felt that he could trust Randy Adderson.

Randy gave Darry a sad sort of smile and asked, "Can I come in? There is something I need to tell you."

Darry stepped back to give him some room as Randy stepped into the house. He looked nervous and had the distinct beginnings of a black eye surrounding the left side of this face. Darry raised an eyebrow at the wound but Randy just shrugged, looking tired.

As they walked into the kitchen, Soda looked up from the sink and stared at Randy in bewilderment. "What are you doing here?" he asked by way of greeting.

Darry threw his brother an exasperated glance and gestured towards one of the chairs, saying, "Take a seat, Randy."

The Soc did gratefully and waited for the two Curtis brothers to join him. When they did, the three young men just sat there for several moments in silence, staring awkwardly at each other. Finally Soda repeated his previous question, determined to get to the point.

Randy looked down at his folded hands in his lap and took a deep breath. He knew what he was about to say was defiantly going to get a huge raise out of the desperate Greasers seated across the table from him and though he was almost certain he was right, it wasn't an easy thing to say.

Taking a deep breath, Randy looked Soda straight in the eyes and said, absolutely serious, "I think I know who took Pony."

May 9 7:30 am

Pony felt pressure against his cheek and cracked open his eyes with extreme effort. The small part of his mind that was still somewhat in touch with reality noticed first that the blindfold was gone from his face but the much larger part of his drugged mind was telling him that that didn't really matter because the person who was touching his cheek was none other than his beautiful mother.

Looking at his mother with vague happiness Pony reflected on how much she resembled Soda. When his smiling father stepped into view from behind his mother, Pony grinned back at the man who looked so much like Darry.

Pony had often wondered why his two brothers looked so much like their parents when he didn't seem to greatly resemble either of them. Well, that didn't matter because they were here now and everything was going to be ok.

That logical part of his brain came up again as it registered that Pony and his parents weren't alone in the room.

Standing in the corner's room and apparently having quite a heated argument were his three captors. Daniel was waving his arms in the air and seemed to be yelling at Kevin. James was rubbing his fists over his face and looked absolutely terrified.

His mother leaned forward to whisper words of encouragement to him as his father walked around to lay a hand on his youngest son's shoulder. Mrs. Curtis told Pony how brave he was being and how proud she was of him.

As most of Pony basked in the glow of his parent's love the logical part of his brain which seemed to be growing smaller by the minute was listening in on the conversation being held across the room.

"You've been giving him too much!" Daniel was shouting at Kevin, waving his arms in the air, "He keeps talking to his brothers like they are right here in the room. He's completely delusional!"

"That isn't my fault!" Kevin answered hotly, "All you said was to drug him, not how much!"

Daniel and Kevin kept on arguing as James looked over at Ponyboy. They had removed the blindfold that morning when Pony had refused to eat and they had realized he was losing weight fast. To their shock and horror they had found that the Greaser's eyes had turned bloodshot red.

Kevin had obviously been forcing too much of the drug in the boy and when he had begun muttering to his brothers like they were really in the room the three Socs had known they were really in trouble.

Daniel had completely freaked out. His plan had about very well; the Socs were no longer destroying each other now that their animosity was once again directed towards the Greasers. However, unexpected turns keep coming up. Daniel had not wanted a total bloody war, just for things to go back to the way they were but it was looking like a war was what he was going to get.

If Pony died then that would only complicate things even more. Returning the boy might be the only to stop this whole thing from getting completely out of hand.

Then again it might be too late already. Just what had they done?

May 9 7:30 am

For several moments both Darry and Soda stared at Randy in total shock before they started speaking at the same time.

"What do you mean?" asked Darry just as Soda demanded, "Who?"

Randy sighed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "Look," he said looking back at the brothers, "I am not a hundred percent certain but I think Daniel Walker might have something to do with it. He and some of his buddies have been acting very weird since Pony disappeared and yesterday I followed him after school."

"Where did he go?" asked Darry, feeling the very beginning of hope begin to flutter in his chest.

"One of those old abounded houses on the city outskirts," Randy answered seriously, "I stayed there for hours and, get this, it wasn't Daniel who finally came out, it was Kevin, one of this friends."

Soda and Darry looked at each other and their eyes locked. Both knew that if there was any chance at all that Pony was there they had to go and find out.

Darry stood up and eyes blazing, said, "Let's go."

May 9 7:33 am

Kendall was driving around the town trying to get a clear head which seemed more and more unlikely. There had been another two fights that day and his men were becoming very stretched out and completely worn out.

He still had no leads on Ponyboy Curtis's location and he knew the chances of him rescuing the poor young Greaser were practically nonexistent by this point.

Kendall couldn't help but think about the boy's two older brothers. They had suffered so much this last week and he knew that if he so much as suggested that they stop looking for Ponyboy to concentrate their force on stopping the gang fight, which would be the sensible course of action, the two young men would completely lose it.

This being said, Kendall knew he would have to call of the search soon anyway and that hurt him greatly. The number one rule to being a police officer was to not become personally involved in a case and Detective Kendall knew with certainty that he had broken that golden rule.

His sympathy had been aroused and more than anything he wanted to find Pony and return him to his brothers in order to heal their broken little family. Not everything in the world was fair and he knew that best of all.

As Kendall was mulling over these facts, a flash of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning his head Kendall noticed a young man running down the street. It took the Detective only a moment to place the Soc.

Daniel Walker, the boy who had given Kendall such a bad feeling during their routine interview.

Kendall watched the boy as he ran. He certainty seemed like he was in a hurry. Kendall pulled his car to the roadside to keep from being noticed and watched the boy for a few moments, thinking.

Not become personally involved in a case the number one rule for the police but the second was to always follow your gut. Kendall had already broken the first and he had no intention of breaking the second.

Turning the key in the ignition, Kendall pulled his car back onto the road and began to slowly follow the suspicious Soc who he had a feeling might be the key to this whole fiasco.

**And the plot thickens! Thanks to everyone who is sticking with my story and all the help you've all offered. It's almost over, just a few chapters left! REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

May 9 8:12 am

Soda stepped silently out of the car with Darry and Randy, shoulders tense and barely breathing. In front of them was an old shack, incredibly shabby and worn down. Soda's mouth turned down in a frown. Why was it then that a new and rich looking car was parked next to it?

Gritting his teeth, Soda glanced at Darry to see his older brother signal silently for the three of them to approach the small shack.

As they neared the structure Soda's breath quickened and when they reached the door, Darry motioned again for them to stop. Leaning forward to put his ear to the door, the oldest Curtis strained to hear any noise coming from inside.

He heard the faintest murmuring of voices coming from inside but it was impossible to pick out any words, let alone who might be speaking them. Stepping back from the door slightly, Darry reached out with a shaking hand and very slowly twisted the doorknob.

To all three of the boys intense surprise the door swung open without any resistance. Whoever was in here obviously wasn't expecting any unwelcome company.

Darry continued to let the way into the house. The room they entered was practically bare with only a very old couch in one of the corners. There was a staircase at the far end of the musty room and Darry signaled his two companions to follow him over to it.

Walking slowly down the stairs taking care not to make any of the old fixtures creak under their weight, Darry, Soda and Randy finally reached the bottom. When Darry peered around the corner and the sight that filled his vision nearly made him openly shout out in horror and anger.

Bile rose in Darry's throat as he looked out into the dark basement room. At the far wall, tied to the chair they had seen in the photo was his baby brother. The blindfold was gone but there was something very wrong with his beloved Ponyboy.

Pony's head was rolling back and forth on his plainly bruised neck and seemed to be muttering to himself. The boy was extremely pale but also seemed to have a grey pallor which made him look very ill and much younger than he really was.

Daniel Walker was pacing back and forth in front of their tied up brother, watching his Greaser captive with something like dismay. If Darry had been in his right mind he may have noticed that the Soc seemed to be extremely distressed but as it was the only thing Darry only saw the state of his baby and the person clearly responsible.

`With a roar of complete and utter outrage Darry barreled into the room, going straight towards Daniel, tearing across the space like a linebacker. All the fear and anger that had amounted over the last week suddenly burst forth and directed itself solely and the rich Soc boy in front of this little brother.

The Soc looked up in shock turning to horror as Darry shot towards him and struck him like a full grown bear. Daniel attempted to say something but was cut off as Darry's huge fist swung over to strike him in the face.

Daniel's face snapped back he stumbled back into the wall. Darry was back on him in a second his hand curled around the younger man's throat. Daniel chocked and spluttered as Darry leaned in close and snarled into his face, "You fucking bastard! What have you done to my brother?"

As Daniel tried desperately to get some air into his lungs to answer Darry felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. Darry turned furiously to look into Randy's steely eyes.

"Leave him be for now," the boy said quietly, "You need to be with Pony. Don't worry, I'll watch him, he isn't going anywhere."

Darry's blind rage cooled as his brain caught up with his body and he dropped Daniel who fell gasping to the ground, hands clutching at his own bruised throat. The oldest Curtis turned to see Soda already crouching next to Pony, whispering gently to him.

Soda had gone instantly to his baby brother and thrown himself down at his feet. The sight of Ponyboy staring blankly out into space almost made him lose it right then and there. He reached out with a shaking hand to touch Pony's face. His skin was clammy and oddly cold.

"Pony?" asked Soda, his voice choked, "Baby?"

Pony gave no sign of hearing him. Soda heard distantly his other brother beating the crap out of that Soc boy, Daniel, but it didn't really register with him. The only thing Sodapop Curtis saw was his little brother's chalky face and those eyes that looked at him but didn't seem to actually see him.

Soda cupped Pony's face in his hands and shook him gently. "Honey, can you hear me?" he asked, trying desperately to stay calm for his brother's sake. Why couldn't Pony hear him?

Just then Darry was suddenly there beside him. Soda turned to him and exclaimed, "He can't hear me Darry! What's wrong with him?"

"Drugs," was Darry's only answer as he began to run his hands over Ponyboy's face. As he stretched one of Pony's eyes open to look at the pupil, the damaged boy groaned.

Darry's head snapped around and he called to Randy, "You need to go get help. This doesn't look good."

Soda watched as Randy fled the room as a dead run and then saw Daniel sitting against one wall, looking dazed. They would defiantly have to deal with him later. Soda had a thing or two he wanted to do to the Soc, both involving a knife.

However, now wasn't the time. Darry was currently stroking Pony's hair over and over, speaking softly to him. Soda turned back to their little brother and felt his forehead.

"He's burning up," Soda said worriedly, "Darry we need to get him out of here and to a hospital. Who knows what kind of drugs they've been pumping into him! Pony could be in some serious danger!"

Darry nodded stiffly and very gently reached under Ponyboy's legs and lifted him up into his arms. Pony moaned, his head falling to one side and saliva falling from his open mouth.

Bile rose in Soda's own throat but he forced himself to calm down. He needed to focus on helping his little brother right now. The time for grief and anger would come later.

Darry carefully and slowly moved up the stairs as Soda walked in front of him, supporting Pony's lulling head. They had almost reached the door when it suddenly swung open with a bang. Soda craned his head back to see the intruders praying that it wouldn't be Soc reinforcements.

Instead Randy stood in the doorway, looking pale and excited. He didn't say anything but instead moved aside as Detective Kendall strode through the open doorway. He looked calmly around the room, taking in the situation as Darry and Soda stared at him in shock.

Kendall took one look at the white boy in his brothers' arms and instantly took charge. "It's a good thing I came to investigate Daniel Walker when I did. Come on, my police car is parked out front. We need to get Pony to a hospital."

Darry stared at the police officer in shock and spluttered, "When the devil did you get here, Kendall?"

Kendall cracked a small smile at the oldest Curtis boy but just gestured for them to follow him. "We need to go," he told them, "You've got your brother back but this isn't over yet."

xxxxx

** Ponyboy's been rescued! YAY!** **Hope you all enjoyed this emotion packed chapter but don't start crying yet, it's going to get even worse in the next few chapters, I can guarantee it. REVIEW!**


	11. Author Note 1

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know that this story has been a bit delayed but my tests are over this week so the next chapter should be coming up soon so keep checking back! Thanks for sticking with me and this story! I promise loads of drama and brotherly love for all the wonderful patience and support.

~md202


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

May 9 10:45 am

Soda sat on one of the benches by the door to Pony's hospital room with his head between his knees. Steve sat behind him, rubbing circles slowly across his friend's back, not saying anything just being a comforting presence for the troubled young man.

After finding him, Soda, Darry and Kendall had rushed Pony to the hospital as quickly as humanly possible with Kendall's siren blaring the whole way.

Randy had stayed behind at the house with a tied up Daniel and said he would join the rest of them as soon as the police came to arrest the kidnapper. Kendall hadn't liked leaving Daniel there but there really hadn't been much choice.

The whole trip had been just a blur for Soda as Pony had lain across his two brothers, his head in Soda's lap and his feet in Darry's. The boy had continued to mutter incoherent things about but still didn't seem aware that he had been rescued and that his brothers were real.

Soda had only been able to distinguish a couple of the slurred words and had been surprised to hear that Pony seemed to be talking to Darry and himself but at the same time seemed completely unaware that they were all in the same car.

Pony also seemed to stare out at nothing and was unaware of the movement of the vehicle. Kendall called in ahead and two medics had been waiting for them when they had arrived at about 8:45 and had instantly rushed the youngest Curtis brother into one of the emergency rooms.

Of course, Darry and Soda had tried to go in with them but they had been roughly pushed out and told to wait outside. Steve and Two-Bit had arrived soon after that.

Steve had gone instantly to Soda's side who had been in a similar position to what he was in now. Steve had tried to talk to Soda but the young man had just shaken his head, biting his lower lip, not wanting to talk until he knew if his baby brother would be ok.

Steve had understood and had sat down next to Soda as Two-Bit had gone to talk to Darry in a hushed whisper. So there the four tough Greasers had waited for nearly two hours, waiting for any piece of news.

Finally, after what had seemed like an endless eternity, the door to Pony's room swung open and a white coated doctor walked out, blinking in the sudden light.

Soda leaped to his feet and Darry hastened over to the doctor and demanded, "How is he?"

The doctor looked up at Darry and gave him a tired smile. "Ponyboy is stable," he said and Soda released a gust of air that he hadn't realized he had been holding in as the doctor continued, "He has been exposed to large amounts of a drug called DMT and this had had some harmful effects such as hallucinations and fever but he is no longer in any real danger." **(Note: I just looked online for a drug that caused hallucinations so sorry if it doesn't quite make sense)**

Darry reached out a shaky hand to shake the doctor's and thanked him fervently.

The doctor shook Darry's hand but then held it in his grip. Staring into the young man's eyes he said seriously, "Mr. Curtis, Pony is in no danger of dying but this is still very serious. His body had become addicted to the drug and we are going to need to wan him off it which will be a long and painful recovery stage."

Darry turned around to look at Soda. His younger brother gave him a strained smile and nodded. Turning back to the doctor, Darry answered simply, "He's alive and he's come back to us. No matter had hard the road is ahead, we'll find a way to get through it. We always do."

The physician looked at the two young Greasers for a long moment before giving them a small nod with something like respect in his eyes. He stepped back out of the way and gestured for the boys to continue.

"Just family," he said but Soda just smiled at him. "Then that would be all of us," he answered. The four young men entered the hospital room and then they all stopped short, staring silently at the sight before them.

Pony lay in the bed surrounded by white walls and sheets. He was completely pale, his chest slowly moving up and down. His eyes were closed and there was a clear oxygen mask covering half of his face. He looked so frail it was almost as though Pony had lost half his body weight in the last week.

Soda let out a soft strangled noise and stumbled towards the bed, Darry right behind him. Gripping one of the bed's metal beams, Soda reached out to stroke Pony's reddish hair with and trembling hand. "Pony," he whispered, "Can you hear me?"

Darry was on the other side of the bed and had reached out to touch Pony's arm, Two-Bit looking warily over his shoulder. Steve came up behind Soda and placed a comforting hand on his back.

Soda took a deep breath and repeated his baby brother's name. For several seconds all four boys held their breath until Pony finally let out a soft moan and his eyes slide blearily open. He looked up at the looming faces with an expression of mild bewilderment.

Finally he muttered nearly inarticulately, "Soda? Darry?"

A smile cracked through Soda face as his hand moved over Pony's face, "We're here, baby. It's all ok now."

Pony looked from one brother to the other with the same confused expression on his face. "Daniel?" he wheezed out.

Soda let out a little laugh and answered gently, "You don't need to worry about him anymore, honey. We got you out and Daniel is with the police along with his little cronies."

Pony stared at him, not seeming to understand. Soda sighed and told him gently, "You're safe now, baby. You're safe."

Pony turned his head over to the other side to gaze at Darry and the oldest Curtis boy leaned down to kiss his little brother on his clammy forehead.

"We got you baby," he murmured reassuringly, "and we are never going to let you go ever again. I promise you that."

Ponyboy Curtis looked at the four boys standing over his bed, all with loving smiles on their faces and more than one of them with tears in their eyes. Then, very slowly a smile pushed through Pony's face as he muttered, "I knew you would find me."

A small laugh bubbled up through Darry's lips and he stroked Pony's hair back again. "Go to sleep, baby," he told Pony softly.

Fear clouded in Pony's eyes and his hand shot up to grip Darry's sleeve, tubes straining with the movement. "Don't leave me," he pleaded desperately.

Soda reached out to touch pony's arm and told him kindly, "We aren't going anywhere, Pony, believe me. You don't have to worry about that."

Pony's head turned back toward his golden haired brother and the fear in his eyes was replaced by remorse. "Soda," he muttered.

"Yes?" replied his brother, leaning in to hear.

A whistling breath escaped through Pony's lips as he struggled for words. Finally he murmured softly, "I'm sorry about that argument Soda. You don't have to go to college if you don't want to."

Soda's breath hitched in his throat as he reached down to trace Pony's face again. "Oh baby," he said softly, "That doesn't matter at all. You hear me? It's all ok now."

Pony nodded slowly and the barest trace of a smile graced his face. "I knew you would find me," he told his family again before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Darry looked up at his brother and the two shared a smile as the weight they had been carrying on their shoulders for so long seemed to be lifted all at once. They had their little brother back. He may be broken but there was now all the time in the world for him to be fixed.

**Thanks for all the support and patience everyone! Please REVIEW!**

**~md202**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kendall leaned back in the high backed chair and raised a single eyebrow at the squirming adolescent who was sitting opposite him.

Daniel Walker had been ushered into the police interrogation room shortly after arriving in the police station. The Curtis brothers bursting into the basement room of the shack where they had been keeping Ponyboy had been about the last thing he had expected and Daniel hadn't spoken since entering.

It was only when Daniel had seen Randy that he had put it together. He and never liked the kid and obviously the feeling was mutual so Randy had lead the brothers to him.

When Darry had burst through the door like a battering ram it had nearly given Daniel a heart attack. He had planned everything to the smallest detail but all too soon everything had begun to spin out of his control. The plan had been working so well!

He had wanted to create mass panic and anger for the two classes so that the Socs would get off of each other's backs and direct all that anger back to the Greasers, were it belonged. Daniel wasn't sure why he and his fellow Socs had so much pent up anger and violence in them but one thing he knew for certain was that if there wasn't an outlet for all that rage then it would eat them alive.

Daniel knew that Kendall didn't understand; that no adult could ever understand. As such, he really didn't see the point of explaining his actions.

"Daniel," Kendall said finally, "You do realize what will happen to you know right? You will be charged with kidnapping and major assault."

The boy winced but remained silent.

Kendall leaned forward until he was just a few inches away from Daniel's face. "You're going to jail kid," he snarled.

"I did what I had to do," Daniel answered without expression.

"To restore the balance," Kendall replied, leaning back with just a hint of smugness in his voice.

Daniel's head jerked up and he stared open mouthed at the detective.

Kendall cracked a smile and said, "I was young once too you know. Unfortunately things haven't seemed to have changed very much."

The boy leaned forward with a look of desperation and just a trace of hope in his eyes. "Then you understand!" he exclaimed, "Why I had to do it! I didn't want to hurt Ponyboy Curtis but it was necessary for all of us."

The detective looked sadly across the table at the Soc who reminded him so much of himself many years ago. Regrettably, Daniel was not going to be as lucky as him. He had crossed over a line where there was no turning back. There was no second chance for this boy.

"I may understand why you felt like you had to act so rashly, Daniel," Kendall answered, "But you passed going too far. You and your buddies are going to be charged with kidnapping and assault and you will go to jail for a very long time."

Daniel looked down as Kendall leaned forward until their races were just inches apart and Kendall continued in a whisper, "And you want to know the worst part?"

He shook his head but Kendall continued anyway. "You failed Daniel," he said almost gently, "You are going to become the hated enemy of both sides and the fighting isn't going to increase. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it stopped altogether."

Daniel buried his head in his hands as Kendall stood and walked to the door. The detective hesitated and then turned back to leave the boy one more thing to think about.

"Daniel," he said and the Soc looked up at him with red eyes, "What you have done will have a positive effect, even if it isn't the one you imagined. You may be the one who finally brings about some peace to the youth around here."

Standing up, Kendall moved to the door but before he opened it to leave the detective continued softly, "Times are changing boy. Fighting isn't going to be the answer for everything any more. It's a pity you won't be there to understand that."

With that, Kendall opened the door, stepped out and shut it firmly behind him leaving Daniel Walker bowed over his clasped hands finally understanding how he had just ruined his entire life.

xxx

Pony opened his eyes slowly and for a few moments the world blurred in and out as his eyes struggled to focus. His head felt cloudy which he realized was probably due to drugs. Some of what had happened during his week of captivity was coming back to Pony and he blearily wondered how much he had been given.

Turning his head set a sharp pang of pain though his body but Ponyboy was rewarded by the sight of his younger older brother asleep in the chair next to the bed. Soda's hair was falling across his eyes and he actually looked peaceful.

On an impulse Pony reached out and brushed the beautiful hair away from his brother's face, slightly bemused by the whole thing.

Soda's own eyes cracked open and he stared at Pony for a moment before practically jumping out of his seat. "Hey," he murmured, leaning forward to kiss his baby brother's forehead, "How're you feeling?"

Pony shifted and winced. "Everything hurts," he said, "and my head isn't working right."

Soda gave him a watery smile and kissed his face again. "That's ok, baby" he replied with infinite care, "The doctors said you're going to be ok; all it is going to take is time."

"Daniel?" asked Pony as more and more was coming back to him.

"The police got him and his no good Soc buddies," answered Soda, sitting back down, "It's all over Pony, I promise."

Just then the door opened and the third Curtis brother walked in. Darry's faces softened when he saw Pony's eyes open and he instantly crossed the bedside. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Pony rolled his eyes and then winced as the world spun. "Ask Soda," he said dryly, "I've already been over it."

Soda snorted a laugh while Darry cracked a smile. It was good to know that Pony felt well enough to be sarcastic. That meant that the drugs hadn't gotten to all of him.

"How are the boys doing?" asked Pony sleepily.

"Worried about you," answered Soda. He paused and then added with a wry smile, "Actually they are worried about us too. Everything has kind of been a mess since you disappeared."

Pony frowned and buried his head in the fluffy pillow. "Sorry," he murmured with more than just a touch of shame.

Soda leaped to his feet again and leaned over the bed, hands resting on both the guardrails, a frenzied look in his eyes. "No!" he exclaimed with heat, "None of this is your fault, don't ever think like that! This was out of any of our control, least of all yours."

The youngest Curtis brother nodded even as tears began to slowly run down his face.

Darry blinked back tears of his own and bent down over his brother, muttering comforting words into his ears.

They all stayed silent for a while, reflecting at how much their lives had changed in just a week. "Are we going to be ok?" asked Pony, not looking at either of his brothers out of fear that their eyes might betray a truth that he didn't really want to know.

Darry reached out to lightly grip Ponyboy's chin to force him to look at him. "We've already survived more crap that anyone should go through," he told both his brothers, "We are going to get through this too."

Soda nodded fiercely as he stroked the back of Pony's hand calmly.

Pony continued to gaze at his brothers for a while longer until he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Within moments he was asleep.

Soda looked up at Darry and said bitterly, "He's been through so much. Why did it have to him?"

"We've always known that Pony was meant for something bigger than the both of us," Darry replied thoughtfully, "Maybe this will come out with a positive effect for him."

"And maybe it will break him!" Soda replied hotly.

"Would you really let that happen?" asked Darry seriously.

Soda jerked to his feet and whispered harshly, "I'd die first!"

Darry smiled up at him and said calmly, "Well there you go."

**Here's the last chapter! There will be an epilogue but then this story is going to have to draw to a close. This chapter is my own little dedication for Memorial Day. REVIEW! **


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue

Soda glanced down beside him at his little brother who was dozing against his shoulder. It was two weeks after they had rescued Pony from Daniel and the hospital had finally released him into his brother's care and after what had seemed like a thousand years they were finally on their way home.

Pony was still pale and incredibly weak but he had been improving little bit by and bit and the other Curtis brothers had barely left his bedside the entire time. Steve and Two-Bit had also been everyday so Darry and Soda could rest and Pony had seemed to be genuinely happy surrounded by his family.

The car suddenly pulled to a stop and Darry turned around from the driver's seat and said, "We're here."

Ponyboy's eyes slid open and he blinked blearily at the house out the window. For a few seconds he seemed confused but then his face cleared and a small smile twitched at the corner of his mouth.

Soda helped Pony from the car and together the three boys walked up the short stone path to the front door. Darry turned the key in the lock and the door swung open in a manner that seemed to be prolonged to the brothers.

For a few seconds Pony just gazed into the house that he hadn't stepped into in over two weeks. How was it possible that so much had changed and happened in such a short amount of time? Turning back, Pony saw Steve and Two-Bit coming up the walk, laughing and smiling and his heart lifted just a little.

The five young men stood on the front porch of the little house, staring in, none sure quite what to say. Finally Two-Bit seemed to steel himself and he said in a voice that cracked a little, "Well, Pony You're finally home! Don't you want to… go in?"

Pony blinked like her had just been woken up from a long dream and shook himself. "Yeah," he said uncertainly, "Of course."

Soda bit his lower lip and took his little brother gently by the arm. "Come on, baby," he said softly.

Pony looked up at Soda hesitantly and nodded. Together the two boys walked into the house with their big brother striding protectively in behind them and their two tough friends trailing behind.

That night Pony was lying in his bed for the first time in over three weeks thinking about how it was both so wonderful and strange to be back. His whole kidnapping experience seemed just like a very bad dream and yet he could shake the memories. How long would they haunt him?

Soda muttered in his sleep next to Pony and the boy turned to his brother's peaceful face with a sleepy smile. Even after everything that had happened he still had his family.

Pony reached out and touched Soda's face gently. To his surprise, Soda eyes slid open and he blinked at Pony in bewilderment for a moment. Then his expression melted into one that was warm and full of love.

His arm went around Ponyboy's waist as Soda pulled Pony against him. There were no words exchanged that night between the two brothers but that was ok. After all there wasn't really any need for them.

Ponyboy Curtis was safe and finally back where he belonged. There would be many scars but they were Greasers and they were tuff. They would make it.

**THE END! Hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Until next time**

**~md202**


	15. Author Note 2

**Hi everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that due to interest among my readers I have decided to post a sequel to **_**Just How Far a Brother Will**_** Go called **_**A**__**Brother Never Rests**_**. This story is a series of one-shots that will follow some events that come after Ponyboy's rescue. Please check it out in my profile and I hope you enjoy and respond.**

**Happy Reading,**

**Morningdawn202**


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